Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Generative Design for Additive Manufacturing Inventory Pooling: An Economic and Environmental Sustainability Analysis in Aviation Spare Parts Supply Chain

The potential for artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled generative design (GD) algorithms for additive manufacturing (AM) is vast. By employing GD, parts are optimized for material efficiency, structural performance, longevity, and reduced waste, aligning with circular economy principles. This study provides a quantitative comparison of the cost and environmental impacts of conventional manufacturing (CM) and generatively designed additive manufacturing (GDAM) within the context of centralized spare-parts supply chain (SPSC) inventory pooling in the aviation industry. We analyze two scenarios and estimate the total annual and lifecycle costs of each using a cost model that integrates established inventory management models. Our sensitivity analysis shows that, assuming equal part longevity, the GDAM scenario becomes cost-competitive when the weight reduction exceeds approximately 84% of the CM part’s weight. We also discovered that part durability is a more influential driver for the GDAM scenario than lightweighting. In the GDAM scenario, we observed that when the part is 53% lighter than the CM part, if the GDAM part can also deliver a 100% increase in longevity compared to the CM part, then the result is a 24.6% cost advantage for the GDAM scenario relative to the CM scenario. Moreover, the GDAM scenario is shown to offer substantial sustainability advantages, including reductions in fuel consumption, CO 2 emissions and raw material use. These environmental benefits become increasingly evident under high weight-reduction scenarios. This paper contributes to the literature by integrating GDAM into SPSC cost analysis. We propose a cost model for GDAM utilization in a centralized SPSC pool in the airline industry and compare its cost components, using a jet-engine bracket case study, with those of a CM-based centralized SPSC pool. We also provide insights into when GDAM production-capacity pooling can be viable, particularly for non-critical-to-flight parts. These findings inform strategic decisions for supply chain managers and policymakers by quantifying the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with adopting GDAM-based inventory pooling in aviation.